Device for propelling vehicles.



No. 872,638. PA`T`ENTED DEC. s, 1907. W. 0. BEENER. DEVICE EOE PEOPELLING VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 'SI-LPT. 27,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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PATENTED DEG. 3, 1907.

W. G. BERNER.

DEVICE FOR PRUPELLING VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inv/en ior:

Winesses.- '-7,12' I l 47117 A f 2%- UNITED sTATiis PATENT OFFICE.

- WILLIAM c. BERNER, or EL RENO, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

i DEvicE Fon Pnornmive VEHICLES.

To all'whom it may concerm. Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. BERNER, a

citizen of the'United States, residing at Ell Reno, in Canadian county, Oklahoma Territory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Propelling Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact'description. y

This invention has for its object an iinproved construction of vehicle propulsion means oi' transmission gearing whereby traction engines, and all self-propelled vehicles of any character may be driven by power applied to the front wheels, without impairing the steering function of such wheels and the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also yto acquire. a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for -effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 is an end-elevation of a pair of front vehicle wheels equipped with the improvements of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, a portion of one wheel beiiiizg broken away to illustrate the parts back o it. enlarged scale, illustrating the swivel connection between the driving sprocket and front axle whereby the former may maintain a true position with respect to the actuating mechanism, while at the same time permiti ting the front axle to turn to the left or to the right Figs. 4 and 5 are detail face views of saidsprocket and a portion of its swivel connection; Fig. 6-is a detail view of the round or ball bearing for the sprocket wheel and its hub; and, Fig;` 7 is a detail sectional view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3.

Corresponding and like parts .are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views o the drawings by the same reference characters. I

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the front wheels of ,a vehicle, said wheels being preferabl loose on the front steering axle 2 and being arranged for coupling en agement with said axle by means of opposite y disposed clutches 3 spring pressed outwardly as shown and retracted by means of link rods 7 connected b universal joints to therocking lever 8 Whic may be manipulated in any desired manner.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27. 1996. Serial No. 336.518.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View on anA mounted to turn In the present instanceI have shown for the purpose of manipulating the rocking .lever 8 to move vthe hnk -rods 7 inwardly, or outwardly, an actuatingerod 7 which may extend rearwardly to the operator and hence by pulling upon the rod 7 a, the rocking lever 8 may be turned in one direction, or the other to draw the sprin pressed clutches 3 iiiwardly or permit t ein to move outwardly into engagement with" the complemental clutch members on the Wheels 1. It will, of course, be understood that the clutches are splined or otherwise slidingly secured to the axle While the wheels 1 are journaled loose on the axle. In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the clutches are shown in their retracted position, but it is to be understood that under working conditions, they will be engaged with the clutch members of the wheels.

At its middle the front steerin axle 2 has rigidly 'secured thereto a sphere s aped block 9 which is preferably provided at four equidistant points with anti-friction rollers 10. i

The block 9 is mounted within concave hub plates 11 ofI the sprocket wheel 12, said hub plates being 4.formed with curved slots 13 iii which the rollers 10 work. The sprocket wheel 12A may be connected by a chain to the power supplying mechanism (not shown), and it is manifest that I may employ a belt wheel or other equivalent element for the said sprocket wheel 12.4

A frame 14 is disposed vertically at the middle ofthe axle 2, the said axle passing through the side members of said frame as shown, and hounds l15 are pivotally connected to the frame bymeans of studs 16 or the y is claimed as new is:

ics p 1. The combination with the steering axle of a vehicle, of a rounded block secured thereto, a drive -Wheel provided with curved hub plates `inclosing said block and having Va swivel movement thereon, a frame mounted -on said axle, a'hound with which said frame has a relatively pivotal movement, and arms extending inwardly from said hounds on opposite si es of said drive wheel.

2. The combination with the steering axle 5 of a vehicle, of a rounded block secured thereto, a drive wheel mounted on said block, the

block and drive Wheel having a relative swivel movement, a vertically disposedV frame mounted on said axle, and a hound 10 With which said frame has pivotal connection to turn about a vertical axis, the said hound being formed .with inwardly extending fingers, said iingers 4carrying at their extremi- 'ties rollers bearing on opposite sides of said v drive Wheel.

WILLIAM c. BERNER.

etc. l

GEORGE L; GODFREY. ED. B. GODFREY. 

